Bicycle-tire.



No. 696,875. Patented Apr. I, I902. R. L. LEWIS.

BICYCLE TIRE.

\Application filed Oct. 19, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNrTEn STATES PATENT OEETcETv ROBERT LEE LEWIS, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

BICYCLE TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,875, dated April 1,1902. Application filed October 19, 1901- Serial No. 79,286. (No model.)

To (0Z6 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT LEE LEWIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycle Tires,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bicycle-tires and one of the objects thereofis to provide an improved tire which may be conveniently attached to therim of an ordinary bicyclewheel, and while preserving the resiliency ofthe pneumatic tire would not have the fault of collapsing whenpunctured.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel arrangementof parts and the peculiar construction to be hereinafter described, andmore fully defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional view of therim of a bicycle-wheel to which my tire has been applied. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3isa crosssectional view of a slightly-modified form, and Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of the springs.

The reference-numeral l designates the rim of the wheel of the preferredconstruction,provided with the usual concave groove around itsperiphery. Arranged at determined intervals and properly spaced apart inthe groove of the rim are a plurality of segmental curved springs 2, theupper ends of which are bent upon themselves and inclose circular ringsor rods 3 and 4. Surrounding the springs is a concavo-convex tire 5, ofrubber or other resilient material, the inner surface of which liesflush with the ends of the springs, and interposed between the tire andspring are strips of canvas or other fibrous material, (designated bythe reference-numerals 6 and 7,) which are designed to overlap the edgesof the springs adjacent the rim of the wheel and are secured to thesprings by projecting spurs 8, which pass through the fabric and inthrough the wood of the rim.

It will be noticed that I provide a V-shaped rib 9 intermediate thelongitudinal edges of the tire, which projects between the edges of thesprings and which prevents the tire from accidental displacement fromthe springs and of the friction which results.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 3 and L the construction of. thetire is practically the same as in the preferred form. However, thespring comprises in this case a semicircular portion 3, having upwardlyand inwardly bent arms 10 and 11, provided with offsets 12 and 13 andrearwardly-bent ends 14 and15, Which inclose surrounding strips 16 and17, notched at suitable intervals, as designated by thereference-numeral 18, 'to receive the bent ends of the springs, wherebyan accidental displacement of the springs will be prevented. The stripsare interposed between the tire and springs in substantially the samemanner as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Of course it willbeobvious that the springs may be secured in the tire in any suitablemanner; but I prefer to fasten them by screws. However, I reserve theright to change the minor details of construction and make otheralterations which may suggest themselves from time to time withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

. It will thus be seen that I have provided an efficient and durabletire which will possess all of the advantages of the pneumatic tire,such as resiliency and fastness, without possessing the disadvantages ofbecomin g useless in the event of a puncture.

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bicycle-tire, the combination with the rim of a wheel, of aplurality of springs secured thereto and arranged in the form ofsegments, spurs on said springs adapted to engage the rim, and aresilient tread engaging the springs and provided on its under side witha depending portion which projects between the free ends of the springs.

2. In a bicycle-tire, the combination with the rim of a wheel, ofcircular rings arranged beneath the tread thereof, a plurality ofsprings spaced apart and having spurs arranged on their lower portionsand having their upper portions secured to the said rings, and strips offibrous material arranged on the free arms of the springs, and securedto the springs by the said spurs.

3. In a bicycle-tire, the combination With springs, and a resilienttread carried by the 10 a plurality of springs adapted to be securedarms of the springs and provided with a cento the rim of the Wheel andprovided with a trai rib which isinterposed between said arms. segmentalcurved portion and upwardly and In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature inwardly bent arms terminating a short disin presence of twoWitnesses.

tance from each other, bands connecting the ROBERT LEE LEWVIS. free endsof the arms of each spring to the \Vitnesses: arms of the remainingsprings,strips of fibrous MALCOLM MCKENZIE,

material secured to the arms of the respective 1 H. H. JOHNSTON.

